Chikungunya threat: Mohalla clinics, dispensaries to remain open for all seven days

The Delhi Government today issued an order declaring chikungunya as a dangerous disease and directed the MCD to keep record of such cases and inform about the same.

Due to rising chikungunya and dengue cases in the national capital, the Delhi Government today issued a statement ordering that all mohalla clinics, polyclinics and dispensaries would remain open for all seven days of the week, including Sunday and gazetted holidays during their working hours till October 30.

The leaves of all doctors have been cancelled until the situation is under control.

According to the statement, "Every hospital, nursing home, laboratory, etc shall furnish the data of Chikungunya patients' to the concerned government agencies without failure, which is imperative for monitoring the situation and to take requisite remedial action."

Chikungunya and dengue continue to wreak havoc in Delhi with the number of deaths from the two vector-borne diseases reportedly climbing to 30 so far.

Earlier during the day, Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain met Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda and requested the Centre to allot 10 percent beds in government hospitals for fever, chikungunya and dengue cases besides setting up a 24-hour fever centers to address the grievances of the patients coming from far places.

Jain told the media that that all government hospitals in Delhi including AIIMS, Safdarjung and Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) have almost 10,000 beds.

"I requested that in all government hospitals, 10 percent of beds should be reserved for fever, chikungunya and dengue cases and they have accepted the same," Jain said.

"In Delhi, the Central Government has a lot of capacity and if they give 10 percent beds also then also the total increase would be more than thousand beds," he added.

Jain also requested the Central Government to open clinics at local level so as to save time of the patients, who come from far places just for check-ups.

Jain said, "Yesterday the AIIMS released its data, which revealed that 80 percent being treated at the AIIMS from chikungunya and dengue after September 1 are out station patients."

Nadda on his part asked the Delhi Health Minister for the case history of the total number of deaths that have been reported so far, be it in any private hospital or government hospital along with details.

"It will be analysed and the report for the same will be sent to us so that we can analyse as to why all this happened," he added.

The Delhi Health Minister had earlier said that there was no need to panic, adding the AAP Government is ready to provide help at all cost.

"But one should get admitted only if the doctor advises them to do so and not because they are scared," he said.